Manish Tewari: Restore voting rights of 13 crore, no rallies needed
Synopsis
Congress MP Manish Tewari has turned the BJP's own democracy march against it, arguing that restoring the voting rights of 13 crore allegedly disenfranchised citizens is the real democratic test — not a padyatra through Chandni Chowk. With the Congress heading to Ramlila Maidan on November 1 and the Nagpur MLC result handing the Opposition a pointed riposte to Modi, the battle over democratic legitimacy is escalating fast.
Key Takeaways
Congress MP Manish Tewari challenged the BJP 's 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' padyatra in Chandni Chowk on 29 October 2026 .
Tewari demanded restoration of voting rights for 13 crore disenfranchised people , saying that would eliminate the need for rallies.
The BJP march in Old Delhi was led by BJP President Nitin Nabin and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta ; traders flagged disruption concerns during the festive season.
The Congress is set to hold its own 'vote chori' rally at Ramlila Maidan on 1 November .
The Nagpur MLC seat — in the RSS headquarters city — was retained by the Congress, giving the Opposition a counter to PM Modi 's MLC jibe.
The MVA won 3 of 5 Maharashtra MLC seats that went to polls.
Congress MP Manish Tewari on Thursday, 29 October 2026, sharply questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' padyatra in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, arguing that restoring the voting rights of 13 crore disenfranchised people would render such marches unnecessary. The remarks intensify an ongoing political confrontation between the BJP and the Indian National Congress over the meaning and ownership of democratic legitimacy.
The Competing Campaigns
The BJP organised a padyatra through the busy lanes of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi, led by BJP President Nitin Nabin and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The party is conducting similar marches across the country under its 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' banner. Simultaneously, the Congress is preparing to take its own 'vote chori' campaign to Ramlila Maidan on 1 November, framing the contest as a fight against electoral disenfranchisement.
Tewari questioned the choice of venue, noting that Chandni Chowk is not a designated protest site in the national capital. The march has also drawn criticism from local traders, who fear that barricading, traffic diversions, and possible Metro restrictions during the festive shopping season could disrupt business in the capital's wholesale markets.
Tewari's Core Charge
'What is this padyatra even about? We are fighting for voting rights. Restore the voting rights of the 13 crore people who have been disenfranchised, and there will be no need to take out any rallies,' Tewari said. The Congress has been using the alleged deletion of voters from electoral rolls as a central political plank, particularly in the run-up to the Ramlila Maidan rally.
MLC Election Row
Tewari also responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on recent Member of Legislative Council (MLC) poll results. On Wednesday, Modi took a swipe at the Congress over MLC elections held across 28 seats in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Karnataka, pointing to ballot-paper voting and questioning how many seats the Congress had won. Tewari countered, saying that 'the context of every election is different' and that 'MLC elections have a distinct electoral constituency.' He added that 'it does not behove someone holding the office of Prime Minister to make such remarks.'
Notably, the Nagpur MLC result handed the Congress an opening to strike back — the party retained the seat in an area that houses the RSS' national headquarters, embarrassing both the Prime Minister and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Maharashtra results also gave a lift to the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which won three of the five seats that went to polls in the state.
What This Signals
Both parties are now operating competing democratic legitimacy narratives ahead of what is shaping up as a prolonged political season. The Congress's 'vote chori' framing targets electoral roll integrity, while the BJP's padyatra is aimed at projecting its own pro-democracy credentials. The Nagpur result has given the Opposition a symbolic counterpoint to Modi's MLC jibe, complicating the BJP's messaging in Maharashtra ahead of any future electoral contests in the state.
Point of View
Not just a procedural dispute. The Congress's 13-crore voter disenfranchisement claim is potent precisely because it is difficult to quickly disprove; but the party has so far offered limited independent verification of the scale. The Nagpur MLC result is a genuine embarrassment for the BJP in RSS territory, and Tewari is right to exploit it — but a single MLC seat does not settle the larger question of voter roll integrity. The risk for the Congress is that its 'vote chori' campaign becomes a rallying cry without a concrete legal or institutional mechanism to back it up.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Manish Tewari say about the BJP's padyatra?
Congress MP Manish Tewari said the BJP's 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' padyatra in Chandni Chowk was unnecessary, arguing that restoring the voting rights of 13 crore disenfranchised people would itself end the need for such rallies. He also questioned why the march was held in an area not designated as a protest site in Delhi.
What is the Congress 'vote chori' campaign?
The Congress 'vote chori' campaign centres on allegations that voters — particularly from marginalised communities — have been illegally removed from electoral rolls, disenfranchising an estimated 13 crore people. The party is holding a major rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on 1 November 2026 to push this issue.
Why did Tewari criticise PM Modi's MLC election remarks?
PM Modi highlighted that MLC elections across 28 seats in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Karnataka were held using ballot papers and questioned how many seats the Congress won. Tewari responded that MLC elections have a distinct electoral constituency and a different context, adding that it 'does not behove' the Prime Minister to make such remarks.
What was the significance of the Nagpur MLC result?
The Congress retained the Nagpur MLC seat, which is significant because Nagpur houses the RSS national headquarters and is also the home constituency of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. The result handed the Opposition a symbolic counter-punch to BJP's claims of dominance in the state.
Who led the BJP's Chandni Chowk padyatra?
The BJP's padyatra in Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk was led by BJP President Nitin Nabin and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Similar marches are being held across the country as part of the party's 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' campaign.
